Chicago a cappella
Kathryn Kamp, Soprano
Alexia Kruger, Soprano
Elizabeth Grizzell, Mezzo-soprano
Susan Schober, Mezzo-soprano
Klaus Georg, Tenor
Garrett Johannsen, Tenor
Matt Greenberg, Bass
Joe Labozetta, Bass
Benjamin Rivera, Bass
Founder and Artistic Director
Jonathan Miller
Guest Music Director
Jorge Córdoba Valencia
This program is supported in part by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s International
Connections Fund. Chicago a cappella is partially supported by the Klaff Family Foundation; the MacArthur Fund
for Arts & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; The
Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development; Dr. Scholl Foundation; a CityArts Program 2 grant from the City
of Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; the Oak Park Area Arts Council, in partnership with the
Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest; and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Season sponsors:
Hyde Park Bank, The Homestead Hotel, and Merit School of Music. The Consulate General of México and the Latin
American Music Festival are sponsors of Navidad en México.

Navidad en México

1

A B O U T C H I C AG O A C APPE LL A
An ensemble of professional singers
founded in 1993 by Jonathan Miller, Chicago
a cappella presents an annual Chicago-area
subscription series, creates studio recordings
as well as live and broadcast-media musical
content, and gives performances on tour and
in special engagements. Long recognized
for vocal virtuosity and innovative
programming, the ensemble enjoys a
reputation as a leader in the choral field.
With more than 325 concerts to its credit,
Chicago a cappella has produced more than
200 performances on its Chicago-based
series. On tour, the group has appeared in
13 American states and in Mexico. The ensemble has been heard frequently on WFMT
radio and through broadcasts distributed by
American Public Media, including the highlyregarded Performance Today. The ensemble
has produced eight CD recordings of music
ranging from Renaissance masses to contemporary works.

From its inception, Chicago a cappella has
been a champion of living composers.
Since 1993 the group has presented more
than 100 works in their world, national,
or local premiere. Chicago a cappella has
commissioned new music from composers
such as Joseph Jennings, Chen Yi, Stacy
Garrop, Rollo Dilworth, Tania Le贸n, and
Ezequiel Vi帽ao.
As part of its work to give back to the
community, Chicago a cappella has
expanded its educational outreach
programming. Current programs include an
annual Youth Choral Festival, where small
ensembles spend a day working directly
with our singers and directors, and a High
School Internship Program, a unique multifaceted immersion for selected students
in the world of both performance and arts
administration.

Holidays a cappella Live
Live performances of Christmas spirituals,
Chanukah songs and holiday music from
around the world

Go Down, Moses
A stunning collection of spirituals

Mathurin Forestier: Masses
World-premiere recording of breathtaking
Renaissance church music

Palestrina: Music for the
Christmas Season
Brilliant Renaissance polyphony by the
Italian master Palestrina
Navidad en México

3

L O C AT I O N I N F O R M AT I O N
Smoking is prohibited in all venues. Food and beverage are not permitted in the audience seating
area. No photography or recording of any kind is permitted.
Nichols Concert Hall
Music Institute of Chicago
1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston
Restrooms and drinking fountain: On lower
level; take stairs or elevator from lobby.

Fourth Presbyterian Church
Michigan Avenue at Delaware, Chicago
Restrooms and drinking fountain:
Through the south transept doors (to
your left) and then to the right.

Pilgrim Congregational Church
460 Lake Street, Oak Park
Restrooms: Off the lobby, in the
southeast corner of the building.
Accessible restroom in south hallway near
the chapel. Additional restrooms on
the lower level.

F R O M T H E A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R
¡Bienvenidos a Navidad en México!
(Welcome to Navidad en México!)
You are about to embark on a musical journey through the history of Mexican Christmas
music. You will hear songs from the 1500s to the present day. You will hear Spanish, Latin,
Nahuatl (the traditional Aztec language), and a Creole sort of Spanish with a strong influence from Africa. You will hear emotions of joy and excitement in anticipation of El Niño
Jesus, bravery to make the trek to Bethlehem, sweetness of lullabies to rock the infant
to sleep, boisterousness to accompany the breaking of the piñata, and even sentiments
of lament. You’ll also experience the world premiere of Jorge Córdoba’s beautiful and
atmospheric setting, created just for us, of Las Bienaventuranzas, the Spanish version of
the Beatitudes from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.
******
This is a very unusual program, of a sort that is hardly ever done anywhere, not even in
Mexico. Jorge Córdoba, our Guest Music Director, informs me that Mexican choirs are so
busy singing European Christmas music that they tend to neglect their country’s own,
especially songs in languages other than Spanish and music from the early years of the
choral tradition. Jorge’s assistance in the programming of this concert has been invaluable. With his help, we can present to you not only a wider span of music than would
have been possible with our usual research resources—since some of the music is unavailable and/or out of print, except in Mexico—but also a program that gives honor and
dignity to the many influences that have formed the Mexico of today.
According to Jorge, there is a certain apologetic embarrassment among many “Indio”
Mexicans, who feel that their native heritage makes them somehow less Mexican than
people of pure-bred Spanish blood. Cultural stereotypes are not much help here; Baby
Jesus is typically depicted in Mexico as having white skin and blue eyes, an image that
does not mesh with the average Mexican’s appearance. People who speak languages
other than Spanish are hesitant to teach these special tongues to their children, because
they don’t want their children to feel less Mexican. These trends hearken to the assimilationist pressures felt by so many minorities in the USA, in decades both past and present.
It is our duty to honor those traditions that are hesitant to honor themselves—someone
has to celebrate this rich musical heritage!
******
The seeds of this program were sown in the spring of 2008, when Chicago a cappella presented a program called Voces latinas, including some terrific recent music from Mexico.
Among all of the Mexican works on the program, the one that many of us (singers and
directors) found most compelling was the cycle of Siete Haiku by Jorge Córdoba. I had
learned of Jorge’s work through the Gregg Smith Singers’ recording of the Haiku cycle,
and I was hooked. How to get to work with Jorge Córdoba became a bit of a quest.
My colleague Philip Brunelle, whose Minneapolis-based ensemble VocalEssence is known
for innovative partnerships, had already brought Jorge up to the Twin Cities for several
residencies and commissions over the course of a few years. I currently serve with Philip
on the board of Chorus America, and between committee meetings one weekend, I
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c o n t.

learned that Jorge is something of a national treasure in Mexico—easy to work with,
generous of heart, and a great musician.
By the fall of 2011, Chicago a cappella’s staff and board knew that we wanted to do a
Navidad en México program. I was hoping that Jorge was the composer who would write
a new piece for us. He was very amenable to this, and we began the usual conversation
about it. I also knew that we would be hiring Guest Music Directors for three programs
this season, including Navidad. But imagine my surprise when, in our search for Guest
Music Directors for the current season, whose CV and cover letter should appear in my inbox but Jorge’s! The project suddenly got more exciting for me. Not only did we have the
prospect of a great new piece by one of Mexico’s choral stars, but the star himself wanted
to come to Chicago to prepare the singers. It was a combination too good to pass up.
Working with Jorge has been a true pleasure. I know that the singers and I will always
remember the opportunity to learn first-hand, from a master, the nuances of Mexico’s rich
traditions and the glories of the Spanish language that occur when set by great composers and when sung with fidelity to tradition. We are so happy that you are here to celebrate, with us, the work of Jorge and our ensemble in Navidad in México. ¡Feliz Navidad!
—Jonathan Miller
Founder and Artistic Director

“Merit School of Music is one of
my favorite places on Earth. I’ve
seen its work through visiting
there, but also through many of
their graduates. What it does is to
not let talent escape, because it
has the broadest net. At its most
lofty level, to its most basic
response to the needs of a
community, it is such an incredible
organization.”
—Yo-Yo Ma
MERIT NATIONAL ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBER

Visit www.meritmusic.org to find out
how you can make a difference in the
lives of Merit students.
Joy Faith Knapp Music Center
38 South Peoria Street
Chicago, IL 60607

www.meritmusic.org
Navidad en México

7

F R O M T H E M U S I C D I R E C TO R
“CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO”
Speaking of Christmas in almost any part of the world is inspiring and generates a
spirit of hope. Speaking of ‘Christmas in Mexico’ is particularly interesting due to the
confluence of the three roots that have shaped our current reality:
a) The indigenous peoples (Aztecs, Mayans, Zapotec, to name a few)
b) The presence of the Spanish conquerors
c)

The involuntary, but decisive, infiltration of African slaves who ran away from
the ships that arrived on our shores.

It can be said that there is evidence of these three roots in various manifestations of our
culture, such as the food and clothing of the different regions of our 31 states. We have
some states adjoining the U.S. border, others that border Guatemala, some with a border
overlooking the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, Baja California surrounded by the
Sea of Cortez
​​
and the Pacific, and other states in the so-called Bajio area and the central
part of the Mexican Republic. In several of these areas, you can find a range of delicious
dishes in which one, two or all three influences are present. In clothing, one can see in
the outfits of Veracruz men and women, a strong and direct influence of the outfits of
flamenco dancers, traditional costumes, as well as the influence of other things such as
the weather and the availability of the material of which the garments are made.
Various writings mention that one of the strongest advances made by the Mexican
people was the spiritual gain made through evangelization, through exchange of subtle
and necessary polytheistic belief to the monotheism brought by the Catholic religion.
Of course, the music could not be free of all of these influences, and in fact, the comings
and goings of European music and musicians during the viceroyalty is something
that was planted very deeply into several areas in Mexico. The quality and quantity of
musical compositions found in the archives of the cathedrals of Puebla, Oaxaca and the
very cathedral of Mexico City give obvious testimony to the musical activity during the
sixteenth, seventeenth and part of the eighteenth centuries. Music practiced in Europe
soon came to the viceroyalty or Virreinato (hence the name Virreinal, or colonial, music). It
was of great importance that the clerics in Mexico were astonished at the ease and speed
with which natives of this part of the world learned the rules of European musical theory.
Great Spanish and Portuguese musicians and composers came, and occupied the post
of Kapellmeister at the Cathedrals in the country. Hernando Franco, Gaspar Fernández,
Juan Garcia de Zéspedes, and Antonio de Salazar, among others, left us an enviable
musical heritage. The fusion of European ways of speaking and various local dialects is
what generated some of the works that you will hear in today’s concert, in which the
composers decided to use the Nahuatl language, thus inviting practitioners to be more
connected with Catholicism. Another of the influences mentioned above only recently
has been seen as the third root; in music, it is called Guineos. Some of these carols are in
not just another “new language,” but rather are derived from the actual speech of slaves,
their new language: Spanish combined with some words and inflections of their roots,
and always with reference to the rhythms arising in those parts.

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This is why, in part of today’s program, we are showing that music can be called “rescued”
with this fusion of languages ​​and rhythms. There are various Christmas celebrations in
Mexico, and over time the transformation of celebrations gave us local songs that were
very unique to each of the 31 states.
The course of this Mexican musical history was interrupted in a hard way and regardless
of anything else because of a bloody fact: The Mexican Revolution. This dramatic shift
meant that music called “sacred” also suffered the ravages of the Revolution, towards a
mostly secular Nationalist spirit. Hence sacred music in Mexico has received an unfair
isolation, resulting in the concealment of such musical works. But composers such
as Miguel Bernal Jiménez and Domingo Lobato, just to name a few, left a legacy that
allowed us to discover and know our sacred music.
The adaptation of Blas Galindo’s “Arrullo” is an example of something that might be a new
approach to the subject of sacred Nationalism. Rocío Sanz’s music gives us some archaic
and contemporary carols with famous poems by the wise Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. José
Galván gives us a taste of the twentieth century with his prayer to the Virgin.
You could say that “Navidad en México” is a stylistic and idiomatic musical show of the
different ways the holiday is celebrated—this being one of the most important holidays
in Mexico. Listening to music sung in old Spanish and in the current mode, in Latin, in
Spanish derived from black slaves, and in the indigenous languages, really is a fascinating
musical ride through time.
We could not neglect another example of a tradition that continues to be upheld in our
modern Mexico: “Las Posadas.” The holiday is religious and is expected to be as such by
all participants, but the sacred and the secular come together at times. The processional
singing is eminently sacred in that it follows varying paths to each of nine inns prior to
Jesus’ birth. It begins on December 16, with the presence of pregnant Mary and Joseph
on their grueling journey, repeated nine times on nine consecutive days and is finally
successful on the ninth try. Once they are accepted, this is the time to bring the sun to the
world! This event is celebrated with sweets, punch and the inevitable piñata. The piñata
represents the Star (The Devil) with seven points (symbolizing the seven deadly sins),
which must be overcome. By hitting and breaking the piñata, we receive the gifts (purity
of mind) symbolized by the goodies and fruit that are in the cheerful and colorful piñata.
With all this music not being arranged chronologically in our program, and because of
the nature of each of the pieces, I chose to compose “The Beatitudes” as the commission
to be premiered by Chicago a cappella. Why did I choose these beautiful words of the
New Testament? First, because I thought it would be important to include in the concert
not only the allegorical birth of Jesus, but also some of his spiritual legacy; and second,
because I believe that in these words, wisdom is totally locked, and I know them to be
the core of Jesus’s thinking. The treatment of these verses is completely at odds with
what else is heard in the concert. It is a highly dramatic piece with a series of twentyfirst century atmospheres that allow the listener to hear, from many angles, truths that
for me are eternal and unchanging. All you will hear makes this “Navidad en Mexico” a
“short walk” over more than four centuries in only a little time. I invite you to fasten your
seatbelts and accompany Chicago a cappella on this exciting musical journey!
—Jorge Córdoba
Navidad en México

9

NOTES ON THE MUSIC
Hernando Franco (1532-1585): Sancta Maria e!
This is a prayer in Nahuatl, the ancient language of the Aztecs. It has been attributed
to Hernando Franco, who was born in Spain, trained as a choirboy and composer at a
cathedral in Segovia, and came to the New World sometime in the mid-1500s. Surviving
records show him working in Guatemala in 1571, and later he came to take the vacant
maestro de capilla spot at Mexico City’s cathedral. While the composer’s name in the
manuscript source is also “Hernando Franco,” it is more likely that a native composer
took Franco’s name when converting to Christianity, a common practice of the time. The
grand, though slightly clunky block chords, and occasional unusual dissonances in the
music support this hypothesis; while these are wonderful musical devices and show
great local character, composer of the Spanish Franco’s training would have shunned
such elements in the music.
Sancta Maria e yn ilhuicac cihuapille tina
tzin dios
yn tito tenpantlato cantzin.
Ma hueltehuatzin topan
ximotlatolti yn titlatlaconhuanimen.

Explore the
World of Music
Anytime, Anywhere.
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Gaspar Fernández: Tleycantimo choquiliya
Here is another piece in Nahuatl, mixed with Spanish. Like Franco, Gaspar Fernández
was born in the Old World—Portugal. Like Franco, he came first as a working musician
to Guatemala in 1599 and then in 1606 to Mexico, where he worked in Puebla (east of
Mexico City), one of the five most important colonial Mexican cities. Though classically
trained and completely adept at writing high-quality Renaissance-style church music
with Latin texts, he also wrote and collected villancicos—literally, “songs of the villages”—
in vernacular styles, not only in Spanish and Portuguese but also in Amerindian and even
a faux-African dialect that appears later in this program. He even wrote a piece all in
Nahuatl, as well as this catchy tune, Tleycantimo choquiliya.
Despite the jaunty 6/8 meter and the F-major key, all is not sweetness and light here. The
text partly expresses the tension between the belief in a single God, as dictated by the
Christian conquerors, and the more pantheistic native religion, which described many
aspects of divine beings.
Tleycantimo choquiliya
Mis prasedes, mi apisión.
Aleloya.

******
Trad., arr. Rámon Noble (1920-1999): Arrullo del Niño
This is a tune sung by countless mothers to their children. Jorge Córdoba told the singers
in rehearsal that the rhythm of the tune was originally an even pulse, but it has been
adapted here to feel more like a heartbeat, as a baby would hear when held close to its
mother’s breast. The setting is by Rámon Noble, the towering and tireless promoter of
choral music in Mexico, who worked closely with the Chorus of the Ballet Folklorico de
México and the Mexico Boys’ Choir School of Music.
A larrorro niño a larrorrorro
duérmete mi niño
duérmete mi amor

José Galván: Nochpochtzine
Long before the Pilgrims set sail, the text for this hymn was written down. The text comes
from the manuscript source known as Nicán Mohopua, versicle 63, written down by the
Indian scribe Antonio Valeriano between 1540 and 1545. It has been set to original a cappella music by José Galván Castañeda. An active singer, composer, arranger, and conductor, the Mexico City-based musician is probably best known as the founder and director
of Voz en Punto, an eclectic a cappella sextet that has toured the world in its mission to
spread the joys and traditions of Mexican choral music. Galván’s treatment of the text is
an unusual combination of sweet lyricism (at the start) and angular, unusual harmonies
(later on) to set up the final joyous “Amen.”
Notecuiyoe, Cihuapille Nochpochtzine,
macamo nictequipacho in mixtin in
moyollotzin.
Cahuel nocenyollocacopa nonyaz,
noconneltilitiuh in miiyotzin in
motlatoltzin
Caniman amo nicnocacahualtia
manoce nictecococamatti in ohtli. Amen.

Nochpochttiné (my little girl)
My Lady, my Queen, my little girl,
It hurts me to see pain in your face, your
heart
I would happily bear the task of breathing,
of speaking, for you
there is no way I will let you to do it alone
nor will it be any burden.
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes

******
Domingo Lobato Bañales (1920-2012): Duermete Niño
This sweet lullaby was written by Domingo Lobato, who was born in Morelia, Michoacán
in 1920 and died just last month, on November 5, 2012. One of the greats in Mexican
church music, he was a pillar of the musical community in Guadalajara, where he was appointed chair in composition in 1946 at the School of Sacred Music, and he was honored
during his lifetime by the states of Jalisco and Michoacán. He founded the School of
Music at the University of Guadalajara and directed it from 1956 to 1973. He was known
as a dedicated, tenacious teacher, determined to pass on high-quality teaching to his
students. He wrote music in many styles and forms, includes a great deal of piano music,
choral music, a cantata, and the ballet Insóchitlincuícatl.
The poem here has a charming image of the baby Jesus as “sweet honeycomb,”
sort of like calling a baby “cupcake” or “sweetie pie.” The flowing, tuneful melody
borrows some of its gentle character from the Gregorian chant that Lobato studied
intensively as a young man.

[Chorus]
Go to sleep Baby, Heavenly King, beautiful
child, flower bud.
We adore you, you are born in straw, you
are the comb of sweet honey.
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes.

Miguel Bernal Jiménez (1910-1956): Por el Valle de Rosas
A composer, musicologist, and performer, M. B. Jiménez is considered the most important
mid-20th-century Mexican composer of sacred music. He started his musical career at
seven years as a choirboy in Morelia’s cathedral, going at age 18 to Rome to study at the
Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. Returning to Morelia in 1933, he headed the School
of Sacred Music there for twenty years. His styles are rather conservative while including
traditional Mexican elements—which he knew well, having discovered the first archive
of colonial (18th-century) Mexican music. This song, one of his earliest compositions
(1941), is a well-known Christmas lullaby, contrasting great sweetness with careful use of
chromatic dissonances.
Por el valle de rosas
de tus mejillas
corren dos arroyitos
de lagrimitas
Déjame, deja
Déjame, deja
que ellas la sed apaguen
que me atormenta.

In the valley of roses
of your cheeks
run two rivulets
of little tears
Leave me, leave
Leave me, leave
for they extinguish the thirst
that torments me.

Go to sleep, my Jesus
sleep in my arms
and do not cry, do not cry
for my sins.
Go to sleep, sleep
and although you feel me crying
do not wake up
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes.

******
Gaspar Fernández: Eso rigo e repente
There is a long tradition of Africans in Mexico, including the area in Guerrero and Oaxaca,
where several groups of Africans have made their home since the 1500s. Fernández captures the playful spirit of a group of African Mexicans who are preparing to visit the baby
Jesus. There are several mentions of musical instruments and of charming gifts for the
baby. Astute readers will notice the “dissing” of Africans from elsewhere—among other
less-than-politically-correct sentiments—but it all seems to be in a sporting spirit, for the
music if full of powerful joy and enthusiasm. You may be singing “sumbacasu cucumbe”
in the shower tomorrow, for this is one catchy chorus!
Navidad en México

That sudden hardship and repentance:
Certainly here I’m not favored.
But although the child was born a little
white one, we all amount to brothers.
We have no fear of the big white one.
Come on, cousin, put on your shoes,
get dressed!
Play, black children, Play the little drum.
Sing, brothers and sisters!

Verse:
Let’s go, Guinean blacks, to the little
manger by ourselves.
Don’t let the Angolan blacks go because
they’re all ugly blacks.
We want the child to see only polished and
handsome blacks,
such as our brothers, who have fine
clothes.

Necklaces of precious stones we bring to
the little one,
a mantilla and little shawl, candy and dried fruit.
And we bring a small sash, gloves, shirt,
a little hooded cape made of wool, and a
little cane pipe for tobacco.

Toca preso pero beyaco guitarra
alegremente! Toca parente:

Play fast but skillfully on the merry guitar.
Play, everybody!

Chorus

Chorus
—English translation by Christopher Moroney.
Used by permission of World Library
Publications, wlpmusic.com.

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Jorge Córdoba Valencia (b. 1953): Las Bienaventuranzas (The Beatitudes)
World premiere, commissioned by Chicago a cappella
Jorge Córdoba wrote the following about this new piece:
Escribí esta pieza tomando en cuenta las palabras de Jesús en el Sermón del Monte
del Nuevo Testamento del Santo Evangelio según San Mateo; y que para mí son el
reflejo de una convicción personal y también como lo escencial de las enseñanzas
de aquel mítico personaje.
La sencillez de estas verdades y la constante comprobación de las mismas, fue el
impulso que recibí para plasmar un tratamiento musical de estructura abierta, lleno
de sorpresas sonoras con la idea de reforzar y abrir otros horizontes sonoros, convergiendo y dirigiéndose éstos, hacia un punto común, que como dice la frase: No
existe un solo camino, existe un solo final: Dios.
----------------I wrote this piece considering the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the New
Testament of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, and that to me is a reflection of a
personal conviction as well as the essentials of the teachings of that legendary character.
The simplicity of these truths and constant verification thereof, was the impetus for me
to shape a musical treatment of open structure, a sound full of surprises with the idea
of ​​strengthening and opening sonic horizons, converging and moving them to a
common point, as the saying goes: There is only one way, there is only one end: God.
The atmospheric mood created by the repeated melodic fragments evokes a soundworld somewhat reminiscent of the composer’s Siete Haiku. We are honored to present
this composition in its world premiere.
Bienaventurados los pobres de espíritu,
porque de ellos es el reino de los cielos.
Bienaventurados los que lloran,
porque ellos recibirán consolación.
Bienaventurados los mansos,
porque ellos recibirán la tierra por heredad.
Bienaventurados los que tienen hambre
y sed de justicia,
porque ellos serán saciados.
Bienaventurados los misericordiosos,
porque ellos alcanzarán misericordia.
Bienaventurados los de limpio corazón
porque ellos verán a Dios.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
—Matthew 5:3-12 – The Beatitudes

******

Navidad en México

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Jiménez, arr. Jorge Córdoba: Cabalgata de los Tres Reyes
Originally for voice and piano, this vigorous piece has been arranged for us by Jorge Córdoba. The pounding, driving rhythm in the lower voices sets up the mood, which is one of
“epic” intensity: as in an epic or heroic story, one must press on despite fatigue, hardship,
and disappointment to reach the goal. In this case the goal is the manger in Bethlehem,
and the heroes are the three wise men. “Los Tres Reyes” (Jan. 6th or Epiphany) is actually
more important in Mexican culture than December 25th; children across Mexico feel
about the Three Kings the way kids in the USA do about Santa Claus, for in Mexico all
good children are rewarded with gifts from the Three Kings, just as Jesus was given gifts.
Lo mejor será subir, Lo mejor será subir
Por mil años el azur, azur
Por mil años el azur.
Mira la estrella lucir véla
muy alta brillar.
¡Oigan! ¡Miren!
¡Paren! ¡Arriben!
¡Atraquen!

It is best to go up, It is best to go up
For a thousand years the azure sky, For a
thousand years the azure
Look at the star shine, see the
very bright twinkle
Listen! Look!
Stop! They are arriving!
They are tying up their horses!
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes

Rejoice in the Lord, you just ones; praise is
becoming to the upright.
Give praise to the Lord on the harp; on the
psaltery of ten strings, sing psalms to
him.
Sing to him a new song; sing psalms well to
him with loud voice.
For the word of the Lord is right, and all his
works in faith.
He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is
filled with the mercy of the Lord.
The heavens are fixed by the word of the
Lord, and all of their power by the spirit
of his mouth.
Gathering up the sea’s waters as in a vessel;
placing the depths in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord; and let all the
inhabitants of the sphere be moved (in
awe) by him.
For he said it, and they were made; he
commanded it, and they were created.
The Lord scatters the counsel of the

nations; he also reproves the schemes of
peoples and the counsel of princes.
And the counsel of the Lord remains
forever; the thoughts of his heart from
generation to generation.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the
Lord; the people whom he elected for his
inheritance.
From the heaven the Lord has looked; he
saw all the children of men.
He has looked from his prepared dwellingplace, above all who inhabit the earth:
He who fixed the hearts of them all, who
comprehends all their works.
Not by many armies is king saved, nor
will the giant be saved by his many
strengths.
A horse is false for safety; and in the
abundance of its strength it will not be
saved.

Our souls wait on the Lord, for he is our aid
and protector.
For our heart will rejoice in him, and we will
hope in his name,
Let your mercy, Lord, be upon us, as we
have hoped in you.
—trans. Jonathan Miller

INTERMISSION

Suggestions for Intermission
• Fill out your audience survey and return it to an usher or to the lobby to entered
in tonight’s prize drawing for a free CD of your choice!
• Bring your survey to our ticket table in the lobby and get a special 2-for-1 deal to
our next program in February, Sprit/Breath/Voice!
Trad., arr. Rámon Noble: Posada Mexicana
This is the traditional music to which Mexicans typically re-enact the scene at the posada,
or inn, where Joseph and Mary are trying to find a place to stay. Rámon Noble, one of
Mexico’s iconic musical figures, has created a choral setting of the typical melodies that
are sung during the festivities. The final movement is sung while whacking at a piñata!

I.
Lord have mercy on us
Christ listen to us pray for us
Christ have mercy on us
Christ hear us pray for us
Lord have mercy on us
Christ hear us pray for us
Son of God, Redeemer of the world pray
for us
God the Holy Spirit pray for us
Holy Trinity in one God prays
for us
Holy Mary pray for us

Bethlehem.
I would die for this precious child says his
father caressing him
His mother gazes at him and the two
ecstatic parents contemplate this being,
His eyes are captivating and his mouth is
too, coos his father
His mother gazes at him the two ecstatic
parents marvel at this being.
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes

******
Rocío Sanz (1933-1993): Cinco Villancicos poems: Sor Juan Inéz de la Cruz
Born in Costa Rica but spending most of her career in Mexico, Rocío Sanz wrote chamber
and orchestral music as well as music for theatre and ballet. This cycle was championed
by the Gregg Smith Singers, who recorded it 1995. The villancicos (Christmas songs from
villages) employ unusual dialects, including an African variant of Spanish in the fourth
movement. The composer shows unusual skill in setting these five poems by Sor Juana
Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695), who was a child genius; by age eight, Juana had read everything in her grandfather’s library. She took the nun’s veil at age 16 and soon was serving
as accountant and librarian in her convent. However, her real contribution to the world is
in her poetry and prose, which is extensive, imaginative, and wide-ranging.

Where are you going, shepherds?
“Where are you going, shepherds?”
To Bethlehem, to see marvels to be seen.
Tell us, shepherds, how do you know this?
The Angels sing it in the air,
the angels
With resounding voices, pay attention now,
listen, listen:

The Sun is born from a Star,
The Sea reaches the shore
And from a Flower, another Flower
The infant Fruit comes to life.
Tell us shepherds, how do you know this?
The Angels sing it in the air, the Angels
With resounding voices, listen:
To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem.

Christmas Carol of the Little Shepherds
Some little shepherds arrived at the crèche,
They said to the child very lovingly:
Where do you come from, beautiful Child,
that no one like you has ever come here
before?

Ah, Señor Andrea! Ah, Señor Tomé!
Ah, Sir Andrew! Ah, Señor Thomas!
Do we have a guitar? We have a guitar.
Do we know how to play it? We know how
to play it.
What do you say? Come along.
Well, we are all going to Bethlehem.

See Him in the arms of His Virgin Mother,
Sing His praises,
Sing to Him, sing to Him, sing to Him!

—Poetry: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.

—Translation: Katie Villaseñor. Used by
permission from VocalEssence.

******
Blas Galindo (1910-1993): Arrullo
This lovely lullaby is by Blas Galindo, who was born in San Gabriel in Jalisco state, of Huichol
Indian descent. He began his study of music unusually late in his life, teaching himself organ
at 19. He studied clarinet, counterpoint and composition at the Mexico City National Conservatory. He formed the “Grupo de los Cuatro” (Group of The Four) with Ayala Pérez, Salvador
Contreras and José Moncayo, with the express purpose of using Mexican instruments and
melodies to make Mexican music. In 1941Galindo began studies with Aaron Copland at the
Berkshire Music Center on a Rockefeller Grant. In those same years he taught harmony, counterpoint and composition at the National Conservatory of Mexico, before becoming its director, a position he held from 1947 until 1961. This song shows careful use of traditional Mexican
elements, such as parallel thirds in the women’s voices at the words “Todos los angelos” and
again at “y en su claridad Te cobjara” in the men’s.

Go to sleep my baby
The moon won´t be long now
And it will bring you a bright blue star
A bell, a bell
That shines in your hands and that music
makes twinkle
And for your dreams all desires of this
world of chimeras
From which we never want to return
Go to sleep my baby
The moon won´t be long now
And in its clarity it shelters you
Go to sleep now, cute button
Go to sleep my baby
Watching over you in your crib
Will be my love
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes

Inviting is the night
with many musicians here
To the newborn infant
they sing tender praise
Oh, I am embraced, oh! divine Father, oh!
in the beauty, oh! of your eyes, oh!
Oh, how they rain down, oh! a hundred
constellations, Oh!
rays of glory, oh! rays of fire, oh!
Oh, the glory, oh! of the manger, Oh!
you already saw rays, oh! if they throw ice,
oh!
Oh, may his mother, oh! like in her mirror,
oh!
see in his lucency, oh! their growth, oh!
Happy when celebrating
some lovely young shepherdesses
Sang authentically

verses for the guaracha. In the guaracha
song, oh! we celebrate Him, oh!
while the child, oh! yields to sleep, oh!
They play and they dance, oh! because we
have, oh!
fire in the snow, oh! snow in the fire, oh!
But the strong boy oh! all at once, oh!
cries and laughs, oh! what two extremes,
oh!
Peace to mankind oh! is given from heaven,
oh!
thanks to God, oh! because we shut up, oh!
—trans. Mary Kate Colbert, Instituto Cervantes

Chicago a cappella Youth Programs
Chicago a cappella’s Educational Outreach programs aim to serve singers and
students of all ages and levels of experience, promoting and improving the lifelong performance, understanding, and appreciation of a cappella vocal music.

Current programs include:
• The Youth Choral Festival, a day of workshops, singing, and performing for area
high school ensembles. The students work with Chicago a cappella’s artists,
and the festival culminates in a concert featuring all the groups and Chicago a
cappella. The second annual Youth Choral Festival will be held on Saturday, March
9, 2013, at First Unitarian Church in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, with the
concert finale at Rockefeller Chapel.
• High School Internship Program, a unique and innovative program giving
talented high school students access to professional musicians, directors and
arts administrators in a broad range of settings. In 2012-13 eight talented and
motivated students are serving as Chicago a cappella High School Interns, gaining
skills gaining skills to further their musical ambitions, including how to rehearse
collaboratively, how to sing at a high level in a small a cappella ensemble, and how
such activities are supported behind the scene by a nonprofit organization.

How you can be involved:
• Help us identify corporate and business partners to support these projects.
• Spread the word to schools and community organizations who may be interested
in working with us.
• Use the envelope in this program to make your own gift today! Your contribution
will not only support our education programming. It will also nourish innovative
new concerts and world-class CD recordings, and help establish an ever-stronger
financial base for our future.
For more information about our education programs,
contact Susan Schober at sschober@chicagoacappella.org.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Matt Greenberg
at mgreenberg@chicagoacappella.org or 773-281-7820.

BIOGR APHIES
Jonathan Miller,
Founder and Artistic
Director
Since founding Chicago
a cappella in 1993,
Jonathan Miller has
guided the ensemble
through more than 130
concerts, seven commercial CD releases,
and thirty choral-music demo CDs. His
international accolades include the 2008
Louis Botto Award for Innovative Action and
Entrepreneurial Zeal from Chorus America.
His skills at presenting a wide spectrum of
music are a combined product of his singer’s
ear, scholar’s training, and composer’s
temperament. He was fortunate to be
exposed at an early age to a wide range of
music by a remarkable group of mentors,
including Christopher Moore, Lena McLin,
Max Janowski, Joseph Brewer, Howard Mayer
Brown, Richard Proulx, John Nygro, and
Anne Heider. He was a founding member
of His Majestie’s Clerkes (now Bella Voce)
and for ten years was bass soloist with the
Harwood Early Music Ensemble. Eager to
learn research tools for repertoire, Jonathan
pursued musicology, earning his doctorate
at UNC-Chapel Hill while remaining an
active performer. Since returning to the
Chicago area, Jonathan has expanded his

role as a conductor and composer. He has
led the volunteer choir at Unity Temple and
Heritage Chorale in Oak Park and has served
several other choirs as clinician and coach.
He has written more than fifty choral works
in a variety of genres and languages; his
music has been sung at venues including
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and
the Pentagon. He conducted his piece The
Lincoln Memorial at the Lincoln Memorial on
the 200th anniversary weekend of Lincoln’s
birth. Since 1998, Jonathan has taken a
growing leadership role in Chicago-area
Jewish music, leading the high-holiday choir
and occasional Kabbalat Shabbat services at
Congregation Rodfei Zedek in Hyde Park; he
now serves there as high-holiday cantor. He
is principal guest conductor of Kol Zimrah,
the Jewish Community Chorus of Metro
Chicago, and holds as a great honor his
role as publisher of the late Max Janowski’s
catalogue. Jonathan enjoys the blessings
of family and neighbors in the woods of
Downers Grove, where he loves helping to
maintain two shared vegetable gardens.

Navidad en México

27

BIOGR APHIES

c o n t.

Jorge Córdoba Valencia,
Music Director
Composer and conductor
Jorge Córdoba did
most of his musical
studies at Mexico City’s
National Conservatory,
with later work in
Composition and Direction in Spain, Brazil,
the Dominican Republic, the U.S., and
Hungary. He has received various awards,
including the Bartók Recognition Award
and the Kodaly Medal (both issued by the
Hungarian government) and First Place
honors in the 4th and 5th annual National
Choral Composition Contests (in 2003 and
2005, respectively), as well as First Place
in the 7th annual National Composition
Contests for Children’s Choruses, held in
2006. He has participated in the World
Music Days celebrated in Romania (1999),
Ljubljana, Slovenia (2003), Croatia (2005),
and Hong Kong (2007). In 2002, his work
The Divine Image was commissioned for, and
performed at, the 6th World Symposium of
Choral Music, held in Minneapolis. Córdoba
conducted the string orchestra of the
Kuronoma Academy of Mexico City in some
of his own pieces. During a tour of Japan in
2005. In 2006, he obtained a residency in
the Visby International Composers’ Center
in Gottland, Sweden, and in October of this
same year he attended the 21st Annual
Festival of Havana, Cuba, as a conductor,
composer, and lecturer. In 2007 he was a
participant in Mexico City’s International
Forum for New Music. His music was
performed by the Vancouver Chamber
Choir (conducted by Jon Washburn) during
this ensemble’s “Music of the Americas”
Canadian tour. Córdoba was also a composer
and lecturer in the América Cantat Festival,
celebrated in Havana, Cuba. He was one of
the featured composers within New York
City’s North/South Consonance Cinco de
Mayo Celebration, with Houston’s Schola
Cantorum, conducted by Doborah King.
In Panama, he offered workshops and
lectures in the International Caribbean and
Central-American Choral Festival. He also
was invited to participate with his cantata
La esperanza es nuestra (Hope is Ours) in the
28

Chicago a cappella

inaugural concert of the Universal Cultural
Forum of 2007, held in Monterrey, Mexico.
Since 2001, Jorge Córdoba has coordinated
and directed the radio program entitled
Horizontes de Nuestra Música (Horizons of Our
Music), transmitted in Mexico by the Opus 94
Radio Station (94.5-FM).
Klaus Georg, tenor
In his second year with
Chicago a cappella,
Klaus Georg is an active
tenor, conductor, and
teacher in the Chicago
area. He is currently
Adjunct Professor of
Voice at Carthage College while pursuing
doctoral studies at Northwestern University.
Klaus has performed leading tenor roles in
Mozart’s Zauberflöte, Poulenc’s Dialogues des
Carmelites, Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella,
and Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke, as well as
the tenor solos in Mozart’s Requiem, Händel’s
Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, and Brahms’s
Zigeunerlieder. Recently, he appeared as
the tenor soloist in Mozart’s Requiem at the
Music Institute of Chicago and as Chibiabos
in Coleridge-Taylor’s Hiawatha’s Wedding
Feast in Park Ridge. An accomplished choral
singer, Klaus sings with the CSO Chorus and
Music of the Baroque, and has appeared as a
soloist with both groups. He also sings with
the Grant Park Music Festival and is chorus
director at Beth Emet the Free Synagogue.
Matt Greenberg, bass
Matt Greenberg has
appeared frequently
on Chicago’s concert
and theater stages,
singing everything
from Bach to Broadway.
His solo appearances
include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Mozart’s
Requiem, and an evening of Rodgers and
Hammerstein. Matt is a longtime member of
the Grant Park Chorus and sang for over 20
years with the Chicago Symphony Chorus,
where he made over a dozen solo or small
ensemble appearances. A founding member
of Chicago a cappella, he has also performed
with Music of the Baroque, William Ferris

BIOGR APHIES

c o n t.

Chorale, and the Harwood Early Music
Ensemble. Matt’s work in musical theater
includes the Jeff-award winning Sylvia’s Real
Good Advice, Hot Mikado, and appearances
at Light Opera Works and Wisdom Bridge.
He has also appeared with the pop quintet
Table For Five. Combining his performing
with a career in arts administration, Matt is
Chicago a cappella’s Executive Director.
Elizabeth Grizzell,
mezzo
Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth
Grizzell has performed
with groups both in
Chicago and abroad. She
has appeared as soloist
with the Tunbridge Wells
Opera, the Marlow Choral Society, and the
Wooburn Singers of England. As a member
of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, she has
recorded the role of Apprentice with the late
Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra in Wagner’s Die Meistersinger.
Betsy is also a member of the Grant Park
Chorus, and records regularly as a soloist for
GIA Publications. She holds a Bachelor of
Music degree with a vocal emphasis from
DePaul University. This will be Betsy’s 12th
season with Chicago a cappella. She is proud
to be programming this year’s All About
the Women concert, and she previously
programmed the ensemble’s 2009 concert,
The Birds and the Bees. Of special note is
her Betsy’s MusiKids program, a musical
education experience designed for children
ages 16 months to 9 years old. Her studio
in Naperville introduces more than 100
children each year to the fun and beauty
of music. Find her on Facebook at “Betsy’s
MusiKids”, or at www.grizzell.com.
Garrett
Johannsen, tenor
Garrett Johannsen grew
up in Schiller Park, IL. He
started singing shortly
after learning to play
the trumpet at Kennedy
School. Garrett decided
to take private voice lessons at East Leyden
High School which led him to study voice at

Roosevelt University. Beyond Roosevelt, he
has performed with the Chicago Symphony
Chorus, Grant Park Chorus, William Ferris
Chorale, Bella Voce, and Lyric Opera Chorus.
Garrett has branched out of the city limits
to work with Chorus Angelorum in Indiana,
Opera for the Young in Wisconsin, and
Sarasota Opera in Florida, and to participate
in a week-long workshop with the a cappella
group Chanticleer in California. He hopes in
the near future to continue traveling nationally
to share his love of singing opera and
Broadway music. One of his favorite moments
to date is an invitation to sing the National
Anthem for his family’s favorite sports team,
the Chicago White Sox…..four times.
Kathryn Kamp, soprano
A mix of opera, operetta,
and musical theater
productions as well as
oratorio, concert, and
choral engagements
keeps Kathryn busy
when she’s not singing

Where the bold, globally-influenced
cuisine is inspired by the best of
each season, yet the warm welcome
and personalized service always
remains the same.

with Chicago a cappella. She has appeared
as soloist at the Ravinia Festival, Orchestra
Hall at Chicago Symphony Center, Grant Park
Music Festival, the Peninsula Music Festival,
and Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society,
among others. Favorite works include Mozart
Requiem; Haydn Creation and Dixit Dominus;
Handel (Messiah); Poulenc (Gloria) and
Brahms (Requiem); Mozart’s Despina (Cosi fan
tutte); many Gilbert and Sullivan ingénues
(Patience, Rose Maybud, Yum-Yum and
Mabel); and anything by Steven Sondheim
(especially Anne Egerman and Mrs. Segstrom
of A Little Night Music). She has also directed
over 15 opera and operetta productions.
Free time is spent in the garden, on a bike,
cooking, reading, and hanging out with
her husband. She always looks forward to
the unique vocal demands and wonderful
colleagues of Chicago a cappella.
Alexia Kruger, soprano
Alexia Kruger enjoys
performing a wide
variety of music from the
stage to the recital hall. A
member of the Chicago
Symphony Chorus and
the Grant Park Chorus,
Alexia has also been a soloist with such
groups as the Chicago Chamber Orchestra
(J.S. Bach’s Cantata 51), Chicago Sinfonietta
at the Shedd and at Joffrey, Mantra Blue
Free Orchestra, the Valparaiso University
Symphony Orchestra (R. Strauss Beim
Schlafengehen and Im Abendrot), and the
University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble
(Stravinsky’s Les Noces). She loves art song
as well and has given recitals at such venues
as the Chicago Cultural Center, Fourth
Presbyterian Church, and several locations
with VOX 3. Past roles have included Susanna
and Contessa dAlmaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro),
Giulietta (Les Contes dHoffmann), the title role
in Suor Angelica, Lola (Gallantry), and Eve
(Children of Eden). She is very excited to sing
with Chicago a cappella this season!

30

Chicago a cappella

Joe Labozetta, bass
Hailing from Northern
California, Joe Labozetta
moved to Chicago in
2003 to further his
musical studies at
DePaul University’s
School of Music. After
finishing a degree in Sound Recording
Technology, he quickly immersed himself
into a full-time career as a professional
musician. Joe currently holds the position
of Director of Music at St. Josaphat Church,
where he is kept busy with choirs, pipe
organs, handbells and composing hymnody.
His local choral activities have included
Chicago Symphony Chorus, Grant Park
Chorus, Bella Voce, and the William Ferris
Chorale. Joe is also an award-winning baritone
soloist, notably at the International Choral
Kathaumixw in Powell River, B.C., Canada.
Additionally, as an accomplished keyboardist,
guitarist and bassist, Joe performs in venues
other than churches and concert halls. In fact,
Labozetta sightings have been reported in
dive bars, hotel lounges and almost-but-notyet foreclosed recording studios.
Benjamin Rivera, bass
Bass-baritone Benjamin
Rivera appears often
as a concert and
oratorio soloist. Recent
appearances include
performances of Bach’s
St. John Passion, several
Haydn Masses and a local premiere of a song
cycle for baritone and instrumental sextet
by Stacy Garrop. He is a longtime member
of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, where he
served in the position of section leader for
several seasons. Benjamin also sings with
the Grant Park Chorus during the summer.
He recently completed his tenth season as
conductor of the Chicago-area chamber
choir Cantate, with whom he performs
a wide range of mainly a cappella music.
Benjamin holds the Master of Music degree
in Music Theory from Roosevelt University
and recently left a teaching position at St.
Xavier University to pursue doctoral studies
in conducting at Northwestern University.

BIOGR APHIES

c o n t.

Susan Schober, mezzo
Susan Schober is a
founding member of
Chicago a cappella. A
native Chicagoan, she
sang for nine years with
the Chicago Children’s
Choir, and has performed
a wide variety of solo and choral music with
Chicago-area ensembles. Most recently,
she was a soloist at the 23rd International
Kodály Festival in Kecskemét, Hungary. In
addition to solo and choral music, Susan has
performed leading roles in several theatrical

productions, including Puccini’s Gianni
Schicchi, Britten’s Albert Herring, Herman’s La
Cage Aux Folles, and Sullivan’s Utopia Limited.
Susan received her bachelor’s degree from
Northwestern University and a master’s
degree in Music Education from Holy
Names University in Oakland, CA. She is an
accomplished music educator, specializing in
the Kodály Method. She has taught students
at every level, from preschool to graduate
level teacher training. Susan loves both
singing and teaching, but her favorite job is
being a new mom to twins Katherine and
Andrew.

DONORS
We offer our deep gratitude to our contributors who made gifts and pledges to
Chicago a cappella between July 1, 2011 and November, 1, 2012. We regret that we
are unable to list the many thoughtful contributors who made gifts under $50. If
this list contains an error, please accept our apologies and kindly let us know so
that we may correct it.

SPIRIT/BREATH/VOICE
An inspiring concert about generosity, peace, and joy, with music ranging from
a Renaissance Mass to Shaker tunes and new works.
Chicago
Saturday, Feb. 9, 8:00 pm
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel

Evanston
Friday, Feb. 15, 8:00 pm
Nichols Concert Hall

Oak Park
Sunday, Feb. 10, 4:00 pm
Pilgrim Congregational Church

Naperville
Sunday, Feb. 17, 4:00 pm
Wentz Concert Hall

THE A CAPPELLA AMERICAN SONGBOOK
Charming and witty classics by Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, and
others in new a cappella adaptations.
Evanston
Saturday, April 20, 8:00 pm
Nichols Concert Hall

Naperville
Friday, April 26, 8:00 pm
Wentz Concert Hall

Oak Park
Sunday, April 21, 4:00 pm
Pilgrim Congregational Church

Chicago
Sunday, April 28, 7:30 pm
Reva and David Logan
Center for the Arts

SUSTAINING DONORS
By joining our Sustaining Donor program, the following individuals support the work of Chicago a
cappella while reducing our fundraising costs and saving resources. Sustaining donors choose the
level and frequency of their automatic payment, and receive the benefits of annual tax deductions
without the hassle of writing checks. For more information, see the envelope in this program, visit
our website, or call (773) 281-7820.
A huge thank you to our Sustaining Donors:
Susan Beal
Frank Brockway
Norma Felbinger
Patrice Michaels and Jim
Ginsburg
Sanford Greenberg & Betsy
Perdue
Ann Hewitt

Chicago a cappella has an important challenge grant opportunity
right now: if we can increase giving from individuals by $25,000 this
year, a family foundation has pledged to match it with an additional
$25,000. That means new and increased gifts from new donors like
you will be doubled!
Ticket sales only cover a portion of our costsâ&#x20AC;Ś in fact, more than 1/3
of our operating budget comes from friends like you who value what
Chicago a cappella brings to your own life and to the community.
Your gift will support newly commissioned works, exciting new musical
programs, and educational programming such as our expanding High
School Internship Program and Youth Choral Festival.
Our Board of Directors is leading the way with a 50% increase in
their contributions this year. Please join them to help us meet this
challenge, so that Chicago a cappella can increase our impact, widen
our reach, and set the stage for a thrilling future.
Use the envelope in this program or donate online at
chicagoacappella.org.
Thank You!
Navidad en MĂŠxico